Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunmandetomi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Mandevilla  plant named ‘Sumandetomi’, characterized by its upright and compact vining growth habit; glossy and small dark green-colored leaves; freely branching and flowering habit; dark pink-colored flowers with imbricate petals; and long flowering period.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla hybrid.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Sunmandetomi’.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is co-pending with the following application:U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/050,879. Title: Mandevilla PlantNamed ‘Sunmanderemi’. First Named Applicant: Tomoya Misato.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofMandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla hybrid, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Sunmandetomi’.

The new cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventors in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new Mandevilla cultivars with attractive flowerform and coloration.

The new cultivar originated from a cross-pollination of a proprietaryMandevilla hybrid selection identified as code number M35-4, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Mandevillahybrid selection identified as code number M28-3, not patented, as themale, or pollen, parent in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan in February, 2002. Thenew cultivar was discovered and selected by the Inventors as a floweringplant within the progeny from this cross-pollination in a controlledenvironment in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings inYokaichi, Shiga, Japan, since October, 2003, has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new Mandevilla are stable and reproduced true to typein successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Sunmandetomi have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Sunmandetomi’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Sunmandetomi’ as a new and distinctcultivar:

-   -   1. Upright and compact vining growth habit.    -   2. Glossy and small dark green-colored leaves.    -   3. Freely branching and flowering habit.    -   4. Dark pink-colored flowers with imbricate petals.    -   5. Long flowering period.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the proprietary selection identified as M35-4. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newMandevilla differed from plants of the female parent selection primarilyin leaf size as plants of the female parent selection had broader leavesthan plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the proprietary selection identified as M28-3. In side-by-sidecomparisons conducted in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan, plants of the newMandevilla differed from plants of the male parent selection in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had ovate-shaped leaves whereas        plants of the male parent selection had elliptic-shaped leaves.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the male parent selection        differed in flower coloration as plants of the male parent        selection had light pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the Mandevillacultivar, ‘Sunmandecos’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,202. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan, plants ofthe new Mandevilla differed from plants of the cultivar Sunmandecos inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla had much shorter and more narrow        lateral branches than plants of the cultivar Sunmandecos.    -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller leaves than plants        of the cultivar Sunmandecos.    -   3. Plants of the new Mandevilla had smaller flowers than plants        of the cultivar Sunmandecos.    -   4. Plants of the new Mandevilla and the cultivar Sunmandecos        differed in flower colorations as plants of the cultivar        Sunmandecos had light red purple-colored flowers.    -   5. Plants of the new Mandevilla flowered for longer period of        time than plants of the cultivar Sunmandecos.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Mandevilla.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Sunmandetomi’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of atypical flower of ‘Sunmandetomi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere about five months old and grown in 15-cm containers in an outdoornursery during the summer in Yokaichi, Shiga, Japan. During theproduction of the plants, day temperatures averaged 25° C. and nighttemperatures averaged 15° C.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla hybrid cultivar Sunmandetomi.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary Mandevilla hybrid            selection identified as code number M35-4, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary Mandevilla hybrid            selection identified as code number M28-3, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About two weeks at 23 to 25° C.        -   Time to develop roots.—About 40 days at 23 to 25° C.        -   Root description.—Thick, fibrous, fleshy; light brown in            color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Perennial evergreen flowering plant typically            commercially grown as an annual; compact twining vine;            initially upright, then vining, requires support to maintain            upright habit. Freely branching, lateral branches            potentially forming at every node. Vigorous growth habit.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 104.6 cm. Diameter: About            1.7 mm. Internode length: About 9.5 cm. Shape: Round in            cross-section. Aspect: Initially upright, then twining and            trailing, plants require support. Strength: Flexible,            moderately strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Developing stems: 152A. Mature stems: 178A.        -   Foliage description.—Leaves simple, alternate; generally            symmetrical and long-persisting. Length: About 7.4 cm.            Width: About 3.6 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Cuspidate. Base:            Rotund. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; leathery. Luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Glossy. Venation pattern: Pinnate; reticulate.            Petiole length: About 1.6 cm. Petiole diameter: About            1.1 mm. Petiole texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage,            upper surface: 147A; venation, similar to lamina. Developing            and fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 147B; venation,            similar to lamina. Petiole, upper and lower surfces: 199A.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single salverform flower; flowers            racemose; flowers face upright or outwardly. Flowers not            persistent. Freely flowering, about four or five flowers per            inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early summer to late autumn in            Japan; flowering continuous.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About seven to ten days.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 11.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 11.4 cm.        -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused,            five-parted; petals imbricate; flowers roughly star-shaped.            Diameter: About 6.8 cm. Depth (length): About 6 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.3 mm. Diameter: About 8.1 mm.            Shape: Oblong. Color: 58C.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of five            petals, fused into flared trumpet; petals imbricate. Petal            length: About 3.2 cm. Petal width: About 2.2 cm. Petal            shape: Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin:            Entire; undulate. Petal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous; satiny. Color: Petal, upper surface, when            opening and fully opened: N57C. Petal, lower surface, when            opening and fully opened: N57C. Tube: 14A. Throat: N57C.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Five per flower in a single            whorl; fused. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 1.6 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and            lower surfaces: 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.1 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Angle: Mostly straight. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: 152B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.1 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 mm.            Angle: Mostly straight. Strength: Flexible, but strong.            Color: 166B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity/arrangement:            Typically five; filaments fused to corolla; anthers,            connivent. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther size: About 1 cm            by 1 mm. Anther color: 15D. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen            color: 15D. Pistils: Quantity: Typically one. Pistil length:            About 2 cm. Stigma shape: Conical. Stigma color: 1C; towards            the apex, 45A. Style length: About 1.8 cm. Style color: 1C.            Ovary color: 144B.        -   Seeds.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 1.5 mm. Color:            145A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Mandevilla.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been    observed to be tolerant to rain and wind and tolerant to    temperatures from 4 to 30° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘Sunmandetomi’,as illustrated and described.